Clutch operating mechanism



March 28, 1939. v. w. KLXESRATH CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1931 IN VEN TOR. Vici'cr W lflmwi'h A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 2,152,059

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2,152,059 CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Victor w. Kliesrath, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bragg Kliesrath Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 29, 1931, Serial No. 540,827

' 6 Claims. (01. 192-.o1 This invention relates to automatic controls rangement; the foot accelerator connection is arfor vehicles, and is illustrated as embodied in a ranged to control the valve for automatic opervacuum controlled clutch. ation of the clutch and the hand throttle lever It is commonly known that automobile enis arranged to throw the valve to the inoperative gines, asusually connected to the wheels, act to position during the initial movement of the lever, drive the vehicle under certain conditions, and just prior to the movement of, the throttle valve. as braking or retarding devices under other con- An object of the invention is to provide an ditions. For example, when the vehicle is travelautomatic vehicle in which some part of the drive ling at a high rate of speed and the throttle is mechanism, such as the clutch, is operated autov 10 suddenly closed, the closing of the throttle causes matically. 10 the engine to exert a retarding force and the ac- Another object of the invention is to provide a tion is similar to a brake application. Stating vehicle with a clutch which may be disengaged the matter in another way, for each given load during the normal idling of the engine. and throttle opening, there is a definite vehicle Another object of the invention is to provide a speed and when the throttle position is changed, free-wheeling vehicle. 15 the engine acts to raise or lower the speed to the Another object of the invention is to provide an normal corresponding to that position. Advanautomatic clutch which may be quickly disentage of the inherent braking force of the engine gaged and engaged with a smooth action. is often taken in mountainous country and the Another object of the invention is to provide 90 engine is used as a brake to reduce the vehicle an automatic clutch which may be quickly (115- speed, but there is now a growing tendency to engaged and in which the movement of the fricincorporate devices which allow the vehicle to tion parts is rapid until substantially actual conoverrun the engine and to freely coast when the tact occurs, and then slowed down to give a engine speed is reduced below that corresponding clutch action similar to manual operation. to the vehicle speed. This overrunning action is Another object of the invention is to provide usually termed free-wheeling and is very desiran automatic clutch which may be readily able in open-or level country driving, for with changed from automatic to manual operation. vehicles equipped with free-wheeling devices, the Another object of the invention is to' provide engine does not act as a drag on the vehicle a clutch which is operated by engine suction in when the throttle is closed and the fuel com a manner to cause the vehicle to free-wheel 30 sumption is notably reduced. when the engine throttle is closed..

Various devices, such as roller clutches and the Another object of the invention is to provide like have been suggested to provide free-wheelan automatic clutch which may be changed to ing, but these devices are in the nature of addia manually actuated one by movement of one 0 and in-the present invention, I propose to use Other objects and features which may be inthe conventional clutch as a free-wheeling device cident to the invention will be apparent from the and to automatically control it by engine suction following description in connection with which I in a manner to disengage the clutch when the have illustrated a preferred embodiment shown 40 vacuum within the engine manifold is increased in the accompanying drawing in which: 40

during the normal idling or slow speed operation Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine illusof. t e e and to automatically engage the trating the manner of arranging the controls for clutch quickly and smoothly when the throttle operating t t h;

is opened sufficiently to cause the engine to drive I Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View f the :3 the e vacuum controlled clutch actuating device;

An important feature of the present invention Figure 3 is a Sectional View of a quick release relates to the control valve for operating the vacuum throw-out device for the clutch and which preferably is connected to the ordinary foot accelerating pedal Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating the con- In one desirable arrangement the control valve 11ml va ve in the position that it occupies during is interconnected t both hand operated the time that the engine is driving the vehicle; throttle lever and the foot accelerator but in a Figure 5 is a Sect onal view of the controlled manner to give different operations, depending valve illustrating its position during the idling upon which control is used. In a preferred arof the engine; 55

valve for introducing atmospheric pressure into the cylinder from a point adjacent thereto;

tions or accessories to the regular power plant of the regular engine controls. 35

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the atmospheric valve guiding washers;-and

Figure? is a fragmental view illustrating a modification of the atmospheric opening which controls the movement of the piston during the clutch engagement.

Referring to the drawing, I 8 is an internal combustion engine having a manifold 12, a carburetor l4 within which is a throttle valve i6 controlled by rod 1 8, connected to the accelerator pedal 20 through a slotted link connection 22 and normally urged to the closed position by spring 24. Manual control of throttle valve 16 is secured by lever 26, adapted to be operated by hand button 28, the lever being pivotally mounted to the vehicle dash 38 at 31. The lower end of the lever is provided with a pin 32, slidable in slot 33, formed in rod 34, secured to a slidable member 36, mounted on rod I8 between the spaced collars 31 and 38, which are secured to the rod 18. A thrust wire 38 is also secured to slidable member 36 for operating the control valve generally designated as 41, which will be hereinafter described in detail, and shown in Figure 1 as connected to the intake manifold 12 by pipe 42 and to the cylinder 43 of the clutch operating device by pipe 44. Piston 46 has its shaft 41 connected to the usual clutch pedal 48 by a tension member 49 which may be a flexible cable guided by pulley 5|. The clutch operating device includes cylinder 43, piston 46, and a closure plate 52 for the cylinder, having an inwardly opening check valve 53 and supporting a bearing 54for the slidable hollow shaft 41. Holes 56 and 51 are provided in shaft 41 and preferably located so that hole 56 is always in communication with the atmosphere and 51 is in communication with the outer portion of cylinder 43 for a part of its movement.

, A small calibrated hole 68 is also provided in shaft 41 for controlling the outflow of air from the right-hand side of piston 46 as viewed in Figure 2, during the latter part of the outward movement of the piston after the large outlet opening 51 has been covered by hearing 54. The cylinder portion at the left of piston 46, as viewed in Figure 2, is connected to the inlet manifold through pipe 44, having a quick release valve 59 mounted adjacent cylinder 43. The construction of control valve 41 is best shown in Figures 4 and 5, and includes a body portion 6| having a vacuum opening 62 adapted to be connected to pipe 42 and an opening 83 adapted to have a connection to cylinder 43 through pipe 44. The control valve is preferably formed with a cylindrical portion 64 within which is slidably mounted a sleeve 66 normally urged toward the left as viewed in Figure 4 by spring 61 coacting between the sleeve and closure plug 68. Within sleeve 66 is a valve 69,

to which is secured control member 38 preferably formed of steel wire which serves as an actuating member for both valve 69 and sleeve 66.

At the outer end of valve 68 is secured Washer 11 which maybe triangular in. form for permitting the passage of gases through opening 12, formed in the outer end of sleeve 66, and which opening may be closed by movement of valve 69. Washer 13 is slidably mounted upon stem 14 of valve 69 and spring 16 coacts between washers II and 13 for urging valve 68 toward its open position as shown in Figure 4, washer 13 being located against movement toward the right as viewed in Figure 4, by lock wire 11 which is sprung into an annular groove formed on the interior of sleeve 66.

Quick release valve 58 includes a cylinder 18 within which is slidably mounted a piston 18 adapted, when in its lower position, to close atmospheric openings 8|. The cylinder space below the piston is in communication with vacuum pipe 44 and the cylinder space above the piston is in communication with the interior of cylinder 43 through pipe 82.

The operation of the device is as follows. In Figure 1, the parts are shown in the position they normally occupy when the engine is at rest, and control valve 4! is in the position shown in Figure 5. Upon starting of the engine, vacuum from the intake manifold l2 will be communicated to the cylinder 43 through pipe 63, and pipe 44. The reduction in pressure within cylinder 43 will cause piston 46 to move inwardly, for atmospheric air may freely enter the outer compartment of the cylinder through check valve 53 and the movement will cause clutch pedal 48 to be depressed and the clutch disengaged against the resistance of the spring, not shown, which is ordinarily used to produce clutch engagement. The engine may now be connected to driving parts, not shown, by the usual means, and accelerator pedal 20 may be depressed against the resistance of spring 24 to speed up the engine.

Depression of pedal 28 moves rod 18 to open throttle valve 16 and causes collar 31 to engage slidable member 36 and overcome the tension of spring 84 which permits spring 61 to urge sleeve 66 toward the left, as viewed in Figures 4 and 5, and close the vacuum port 62. During this movement, wire 39 is also moved toward the left and both it and spring pdsition shown in Figure 4, and permit atmospheric air to flow through clearance opening 35, through port 12 to the interior of sleeve 66 into cylinder 43 through opening 63 and pipe 44. Piston 46 will then move toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, and permit clutch pedal 48 to move to engage the clutch. The initial movement of piston 46 will be quite rapid because of the large openings 56 and 51 through which the entrapped air may pass, but toward the end of the piston travel, opening 51 is covered by bearing 54 and thereafter the movement will be slower because of the reduced passage of air through the small calibrated opening 58. i It is desirable to have opening 51 covered by bearing 54 at approximately the time that the friction members of the clutch (not shown) come into contact, and to thereafter engage the friction members slowly by the dash-pot action produced by small calibrated opening 58. If desired, opening 58 may be eliminated and an outlet fitting 88 provided in the closure member 52, which fitting has a passageway 89 closed by an adjustable valve 98, as shown in Figure 7.

It may be that in some cases, the atmospheric passage through the control valve 4| and pipe 44 will not be of suflicient size to permit the proper engagement of the clutch, and I prefer to incorporate a quick relief valve 59 which will introduce a large quantity of atmospheric air directly into the cylinder from a point adjacent thereto.

The operation of the quick relief valve is produced by the differential action of the pressures acting on opposite sides of piston 19. The upper end of piston 18, as before stated, is subjected to the pressure within the cylinder 43 by the pipe 82 and the lower end is subjected to the pressure within the line 44. At the instant that atmospheric pressure is directed to the cylinder 43, the pressure in the cylinder 43 remains slightly below that in the line 44, because of the frictional re- 42, openings 62 and r sistance of the conduits, and the differential in therefor, a clutch for connecting the engine to pressure on opposite sides of the piston 19 is sufficient to lift it and permit air to rush into the cylinder 18 through ports BI and thus insure an adequate supply of atmospheric air to be delivered to the left hand side of piston 46. The quick relief valve permits the use of small pipes to the cylinder 43, and the control of the outward movement of the piston 46 may be accurately controlled by the proper selection of calibrated hole 58, or the adjustment of valve 90 in the form shown in Figure 6.

Upon closing of the throttle by means of the accelerator pedal 20, the valve will again assume the position shown in Figure 5 and vacuum will be transmitted to cylinder 43, and the clutch disengaged.

If, for any reason, it should be desirable to render the vacuum device inoperative and to manually control the clutch by means of pedal 83, this may be accomplished by outwardly moving handbutton 28 which will first move sliding member 36 toward the left, as viewed in Figure l, and cause the valve to assume the position shown in Figure 4. In this position of the valve, the cylinder'43 is open to atmosphere through clearance passageway 85, opening 12, and through the in:- terior of sleeve 66 to pipe 44 and the interior of the cylinder. No movement of throttle valve I6 is produced by the initial movement of button 28 and the hand control is not operative to actuate the throttle until slidable member 36 engages the fixed collar 38 after which continued movement of hand control button 28 will actuate throttle l6 in the ordinary manner. l8 beyond that necessary to move the valve to the position of Figure 4 is readily absorbedby the flexing of steel wire member 39. Control button 28 is illustrated as one convenient means of hand control, but it is obvious that the valve linkage may also be connected to any of the well known hand throttle connections, some of which are mounted on the vehicle steering wheel (not shown).

It may readily be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an automatic clutch which is normally controlled by the accelerator pedal to permit the vehicle to free-wheel during close position of the accelerator, and which may easily be thrown to the inoperative position by the actuation of the ordinary hand throttle ever.

While I have illustrated and described, in considerable detail, one embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this showing and description are illustrative only, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the forms shown and described, or otherwise, except by the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

.1. In a vehicle having an engine, dual controls the vehicle, a gaseous pressure device for operating the clutch by the engine, a control element having a lost motion connection with each of said Any movement of rodengine controls and operated thereby to actuate the clutch upon movement of either of the engine controls, one of said controls acting to engage the clutch when the other control is in ,a position to normally disengage the clutch.

2. A vacuum control for a vehicle having an. engine comprising a cylinder and a piston, a control valve for selectively connecting the cylinder to vacuum and atmospheric pressure, and means controlled by a pressure difierential in the control system for venting the cylinder .to atmosphere through an auxiliary orifice adjacent the cylinder when the control valve is in position to connect the cylinder to atmosphere.

3. In an automotive vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor and a throttle, a clutch, power means operatively connected with said clutch, a control valve for said power means, two separate manually operable control members, linkage having a lost motion connection with one of said control members and interconnecting said valve and member, and other linkage having a lost motion connection with the other of said manually operable control members and interconnecting said valve with the latter manually operable member, together with linkage interconnecting said throttle and the aforementioned linkages.

4. In an automotive vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor and a throttle, a clutch, power means operatively connected with said clutch, a control valve for said power means, two separate manually operable control members, linkage interconnecting said throttle, valve and each of said manually operable members, said linkage comprising lost motion connections connecting each of said manually operable members with the adjacent linkage, and also comprising a lost motion connection interconnecting said throttle with both of said manually operable control members.

5. In automotive apparatus, the combination of a free-wheeling mechanism of the vacuum operated type, an accelerator pedal, a main control valve for said vacuum mechanism operable by said accelerator pedal, and an auxiliary valve of the quick acting type connected into said vacuum mechanism and arranged to accentuate changes of pressure in the vacuum system.

6. In automotive apparatus, the combination of a motor intake, a throttle valve connected to said intake and operable to fine gradations to produce smooth variations in the suction pressure in said intake, a free-wheeling control valve connected to said intake so as to be exposed to said variations in suction pressure. a vacuum operated free-wheeling device connected to said control valve, means for opening and closing said control valve so thatthe free-wheeling device may be operated by the suction in said intake, and a quick-acting auxiliary valve adapted to accentuate variations in pressure in the vacuum operating the free-wheeling device.

VICTOR V. KLIESRA'IH. 

